Restraining device



1958 c. G. TERRELL 2,848,993

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed June 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Charm G.- 7Z9rre/l ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wk Mm D wk [N VENTOR Aug. 26, 1958 c. e. TERRELL RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed June 20, 1957 Charm 6. Terra// WW M ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,848,993 RESTRAINING DEVICE Charm G. Terrell, St. Petersburg, Fla. Application June 20, 1957, Serial No. 667,002 Claims. (Cl. 128134) This invention relates to a restraining device for institutionalized patients, and it more particularly relates to a restraining device which is capable of alfording adequate restraint while yet allowing maximum freedom of movement. 7

Most of the restraining devices heretofore in use kept the patient tightly held to the bed while lying on his back. This not only places the patient under undue restraint not absolutely necessitated by his condition but, by keeping him on his back, induces bed sores and makes it very diflicult to care for It is one object of the present invention to provide a restraining device which is capable of obviating the above disadvantages by restraining the patient to remain securely in the middle of the bed while, at the same time, permitting him to sit up, turn side to side, and exercise his arms, yet preventing him from touching his body with his hands.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a restraining device which is completely adjustable to fit most persons and which can be adjusted to vary the freedom of movement of the patient according to his condition. 7

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved restraining device, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a patient lying in restraint in a bed wherein the restraining member embodies the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the restraining device of Fig. 1, the device being in open position.

Fig. 3 is an edge plan view of the device of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the restraining device of Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of back harness.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a restraining device, generally designated 10, comprising a bed belt 12 provided with a center loop 14 which is strongly stitched to the bed belt, as shown ,at 16 in Figs. 2 and 5. Passing loosely through the loop 14 is a slide belt 18 to the ends of which is secured a body belt 20. This body belt 20 consists of two straps 22 and 24, the strap 22 being secured at either end to the ends of the slide belt 18 and the strap 24 being adjustably secured to the strap 22 by means of laces 26 passing through lacing holes 28 and 30 and then tied.

Extending from the strap 24 is a shoulder harness generally designated 32. comprising a back panel 34 consisting of two sections held together in releasable manner by a Zipper or slide fastener 36. A protective flap 38 covers the front side of the Zipper" 36.

A shoulder strap 40 is provided at each of the two opposite upper ends of the panel 34; each shoulder strap being secured at its ,upper end by stitching42 and being adjustably secured at its lower end by laces 44 extending through lacing holes 46 in the shoulder strap and 48 in the panel.

At each end portion of the belt 12, one at each side of the body harness 20, is a loop 50 stitched to the belt by stitching 52. Loosely passing through each loop 50 is an adjustable wrist-strap lengthener 54 which has a buckle 56. By adjusting the buckle 56 in accordance to the hole 58 through which it passes, the lengthener 54 can be made larger or smaller. Loosely positioned on the lengthener 54 is a loop 60 to which is connected a wriststrap 62. Each strap 62 has a buckle-type adjustment means, as at 64. Secured inside the strap 62 so as to lie under the buckle 64 is a buckle guard strap 65 which protects the patients wrists against injury.

At each end, the bed belt 12 is provided with a buckle 66 through which the ends of the belt are adjustably looped after having been wound around the side framework 67 of the bed, as best shown in Fig. 1.

Although this invention is primarily designed for restraint of institutionalized patients, it is also useful for restraining post-operative patients having drainage tubes or the like in them or for restraining patients at sea or in other moving vehicles during operations. It is also useful in holding sailors in their bunks during storms or heavy seas when the ship tends to rock and pitch. For such purposes, where restraint of the arms to prevent self-infiictedviolence is not necessary, it is possible to remove the lengtheners 54 and their wrist-straps 62 by merely unbuckling the lengtheners 56 and slipping them through the loops 50. It may, furthermore, be desirable to eliminate the shoulder harness 32 and to substitute a back body belt such as shown at 68 in Figs. 7 and 8. The belt 68 is a double ply thickness belt stitched together, as at 70, and having a plurality of lacing holes 72 at each end. The same lacings 26 may be used through the lacing holes 72 of belt 68 and the existing lacing holes 28 in the body belt 22 to thus hold belt 68, instead of belt 24, to body belt 22 and slide belt 18. The large number of lacing holes 72 on the'left side of the belt 68, as viewed in Fig. 7, permit a wide area of adjustment to fit the waist of the person.

The use of the restraining devices described above is obvious from their construction. Nevertheless, briefly explained, when using the device of Figs. 1 to'6, the patients arms are inserted through the loops formed by the straps 40 of the harness until the straps rest on the patients shoulders. The straps are then adjusted to size by means of the laces 44. The Zipper 36 is closed, preferably prior to the final adjustment of the shoulder straps 40. The wrists of the patient are then inserted through the wrist-straps 62 and the lengtheners 54 are adjusted as are also the wrist-straps 6 2 themselves. The ends of the bed belt are then secured to the bed by first looping them around the bed frame 67 and then inserting them through the buckles 66 and tightening them. Although these various manipulations and adjustments have been described in one type of order, it is obvious that the diiferent manipulations and adjustments may be varied to suit the particular circumstances. When the belt 68 is substituted for the harness 32, the belt 68 is 3 merely drawn around the waist of the person and tightened in place.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A restraining device comprising a bed belt having fastening means at each end for securing said belt to the side frames of a bed, wrist-holding straps at opposite end portions of said belt, said wrist-holding straps being adjustable longitudinally of said bed belt, and a body holding means adjustably secured to the center of said belt, said body holding means being constructed to securely hold the body of a person to said belt while permitting said person to move from a lying to a sitting position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said body holding means comprises a shoulder harness attached to a back panel.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said body holding means comprises a second belt adapted to be releasably secured at its ends to said bed belt.

4. A restraining device comprising a bed belt having fastening means at each end to releasably secure said belt to the side frames of a bed, a Wrist-strap at each end portion of said belt, means to adjust each of said wrist-straps longitudinally of said bed belt, a loop secured to the center of said bed belt, a slide belt loosely passing through said loop, a first body strap secured at its ends to said slide belt, a second body strap releasably secured at its ends to the ends of said first body strap, a back panel secured to said second body strap, and a pair of shoulder straps on said back panel.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein each of said wriststraps is secured to a lengthener strap, each lengthener strap passing loosely through a loop secured to said body belt, and a buckle securing the ends of said lengthener strap in adjusted position.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the fastening means 4 at each end of said bed belt is a looped end of the belt adjustably held by a buckle.

7. In a restraining device, a bed belt for holding a patient to a bed, and a body harness attached to the center of the belt, said body harness comprising a loop on said belt, a slider belt loosely passing through said loop, a first strap rigidly secured at its ends to the ends of said slider belt, a second strap having lacing holes therein to mate with other lacing holes on said first strap, laces for securing said first and second straps together at their ends, and a back panel rigidly secured to said second strap.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said back panel comprises a pair of sections releasably secured to each other by a slide fastener, and a protective flap covering said Zipper.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said back panel is provided with a pair of shoulder straps, one end of each shoulder strap being rigidly secured to one edge of said back panel and the other end having holes adapted to mate with similar holes on said panel, and laces to releasably secure said other ends of said shoulder straps by passing through said mating holes.

10. A restraining device comprising a bed belt having fastening means at each end for securing said belt to the side frames of a bed, Wrist-holding straps at opposite end portions of said belt, said wrist-holding straps including an adjusting buckle and a wrist guard strap underneath said adjusting buckle, said wrist-holding straps being adjustable longitudinally of said bed belt, and a body holding means adjustably secured to the center of said belt, said body holding means being constructed to securely hold the body of a person to said belt while permitting said person to move from a lying to a sitting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,457 Gaiter July 11, 1905 2,245,293 Ogburn June 10, 1941 2,308,466 Johnson Jan. 12, 1943 

